1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a film cartridge holding device and an apparatus having the film cartridge holding device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A film image reproducing apparatus arranged to pickup an image recorded on a developed film, to convert the picked-up image into a video signal and to reproduce the image on a TV monitor by guiding the video signal to the TV monitor is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. HEI 4-501490. Meanwhile, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,319, there is disclosed a film cartridge of a novel kind. This film cartridge is arranged to discharge a film from a film discharge port according to the rotation of a film supply spool disposed within the film cartridge. Hereinafter, the film cartridge of this kind is referred to as a thrust type film cartridge.
A film image reproducing apparatus adapted for use of the thrust type film cartridge is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. HEI 6-181536. In this film image reproducing apparatus, with a developed film contained in the thrust type film cartridge which is loaded, an image on the developed film is converted into a video signal and, then, reproduced by guiding the video signal to a display means such as a TV monitor.
However, the film image reproducing apparatus adapted for use of the thrust type film cartridge has presented the following problems.
(i) In order to drive the film supply spool disposed within the thrust type film cartridge, it is necessary to cause some engaging means such as a fork or the like to mesh with a spline of a hole part formed at an end part of the film supply spool.
The film image reproducing apparatus is, on the other hand, preferably designed to have the thrust type film cartridge loaded in the axial direction thereof, thereby resulting in a reduction in size and cost of the film image reproducing apparatus. However, such a loading method for the film cartridge greatly restricts the possible place of installation and the design shape of the film image reproducing apparatus.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show by way of example how the film image reproducing apparatus is installed. In this case, the film image reproducing apparatus is installed in combination with a monitor for viewing the output of the apparatus. FIG. 10 is an oblique view illustrating a TV monitor 100, a stand 101 for the TV monitor 100, and the film image reproducing apparatus 102. FIG. 11 is a partially sectional side view of FIG. 10, with the TV monitor stand 101 shown in a sectional shape.
In installing such an apparatus, it is generally desirous, for stability, that the apparatus is arranged to have a larger dimension in the horizontal direction than in the direction of height. In other words, dimensions A and B shown in FIG. 11 are preferably in a relation of A&gt;B.
In the case of the film image reproducing apparatus, it is necessary to read the image on the film by using an image pickup means such as a CCD or the like through an optical system. It is desirable, for reduction in size of the whole apparatus, to arrange the optical system to have its optical axis along the horizontal direction. With the apparatus arranged in such a manner, however, the film must be disposed in the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the optical axis. Then, if the film cartridge is to be loaded in the axial direction thereof, the film cartridge also must be loaded in the vertical direction, i.e., in the direction of arrow "b". However, as apparent from FIG. 11, the arrangement for loading the film cartridge in the direction of arrow "b" is hardly possible or extremely difficult as the TV monitor stand 101 hinders the film cartridge loading direction.
The film image reproducing apparatus, therefore, must be arranged either to be installed outside of the TV monitor stand 101 or to load the film cartridge from the front side of the apparatus, i.e., in the direction of arrow "a", by arranging the optical axis of the optical system along the vertical direction and increasing the dimension B at the expense of compactness and stability of the apparatus.
(ii) In a case where images on films contained in a plurality of film cartridges are to be continuously reproduced, the film cartridges must be brought in turn to a film transport operable position and a non-operable position by replacing them one after another. In that case, the apparatus necessitates a complex arrangement for such a replacing operation.
Meanwhile, there is proposed another film image reproducing apparatus which is intended to allow a greater amount of latitude both in installing place and design shape. Referring to FIG. 28, the apparatus is provided with a cartridge holder 801 which has cartridge chambers 801a arranged to permit loading four film cartridges at a time. After the film cartridges K are put in the cartridge chambers 801a, a holder tray 802 on which the cartridge holder 801 is set moves in the horizontal direction, which is orthogonal to the axes of the film cartridges K, to stow the cassette holder 801 within the film image reproducing apparatus 800.
The film image reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 28 necessitates some arrangement to drive a spool disposed within each film cartridge to rotate by causing an engaging means such as a fork or the like to be meshed with a key way of the spool. Further, a light-shielding door for a film egress/ingress slot in the film cartridge has a hole, which is provided with a key way which extends also in the direction of the axis of the spool. In opening and closing the light-shielding door, an engaging shaft must be caused to be in mesh with this key way and to be driven to rotate.
In loading the film cartridge into the apparatus, the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge chamber 801a in the axial direction of the film cartridge. Then, according to a generally practiced method, the fork which protrudes from the bottom of the cartridge chamber and the engaging shaft (hereinafter referred to as ALL opening-and-closing shaft) which is provided for opening and closing the light-shielding door of the film cartridge are caused to mesh respectively with the key way hole of the spool and the key way hole of the light-shielding door which are formed on the side of the film cartridge. Such a loading method for the film cartridge has become popular, particularly in the field of cameras.
However, the film cartridge loading method has the following drawbacks. Referring to FIG. 29, the fork 803 and the ALL opening-and-closing shaft 804 might not be sufficiently inserted into the holes of the film cartridge K with the film cartridge K merely dropped into the cartridge chamber by the operator of the apparatus from above in the axial direction of the film cartridge. If the holder tray 802 is moved in the direction of a shown arrow toward the body of the apparatus with the film cartridge K in the insufficiently inserted state, the film cartridge K hits an edge part 800a of an opening provided in a holder stowing part of the apparatus, as indicated by a hitting amount Q. Then, the insufficient insertion not only prevents the film cartridge K from being stowed inside of the apparatus but also damages the film cartridge K or the apparatus.
To avoid the insufficiently inserted state of the fork and the ALL opening-and-closing shaft, the operator might strongly push the film cartridge downward from above. Then, in anticipation of such a hard pushing operation, if the holder tray is arranged to have a greater bending strength and a strong holding structure, the size and cost of the whole apparatus would increase.